The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1887-03-31
MIR. ROBERTS, ET AL. ON STREET Paw
ING.
[RspOsitOrz. Nnrch .. 1871


Roberts said that while he agreed with
Meek as to the necessity Of some new
plan Of street improvement, yet he did
not think that the solution OF the exist
ing difficulty was presented By his piaDu
nor does the Repository, which Is max.
ing such q stir about permanent street
improvement. present any solution
| [CO0ncll Report.
Mr.. Roberts, for some time past. has
been doing 3 wholesale business In the
English language, agreeing with sever
| al plans at certain times and places, In
lOng-Winded interviews, and awfully
drawn out aldermsnic addresses, about
this and that and the other thing, In
cluding street improvements.
But the trouble is that when 1t gets
down to q matter Of business and the
solid, substantial preparation OF going
ahead with work and doing that about
which he has 80 amply aired himself,
Mr.. Roberts Is not there. Aud the long
waiting public wonders where he stands
on the question -,
For months past there has been q food
Of glitteri1g generaltties from the pro-
life Mr.. Roberts, but he appears TO have
allowed q ripe opportunity pass to take
definite, tangible stand on the question
to indicate what his own position Ia,
while he feels particularly called upon
to find fault with ths ideas advanced BY
other members Of the Council and the
Repository, on the subject.
There was time when the attentive
public thought that Mr.. Roberto exeU-
Oerance OF talk indicated that he had
plethora of information on permanent
street improvement, but the conviction
IL stealing over people who looked TO
him for relief that be was doing great
deal of wind.wOrk, and that what he
has to learn about his assumed position
of q public leader on this question
would fill q good sized volume or two.
The Repository is satisfied that the
people are tired Of the Ay-much and-dO
little style of action. The Repository
has had the same plan Of having the
owners Of abuttiDg property pay for
permanent improvements. 1t has sug-
gested that II the cost be too great for
property owners to stand outright, the
terms Of payment be made easy by hav-
ing the city fir assume the whole cost,
and then collect from the property own
ers benefited by yearly or semi-annual
assessments. If there ls no authority
now for the city issuing bonds for such
a purpose, a vote Of the people and an
act Of the Legislature would give that
right without serious difficulty, If there
was some public man who had the cOur'
age to take the project In hand.
In the street improvement projects ad-
vanced in the Council by official aspi
rants, solid, substantial, business sense
has been subserved too much to political
ambition. The ragged edged effort to
offend no one has disgusted everybody.
The most earnest and solid work done
In the Council on this absorbing ques'
tiOn appears to be that Of Messrs. Meek
and Miller. They are both working hard
to secure some definite, permanent plan.
The Repository believes In the assess
ment idea. The property Of every street
ia enhanced In value when LDRL street
is paved. Mr.. Frazer's idea Of setting
ablut portion of the street fund for
permanent improvement may be good in
theory, but Is obi ,ctionable on account
of the inadPquacy If any amount that
could probably be I aside.
The ordinance for paving Cherry
street WAS laid on the table when called
up for It's third reading, because 1t pro-
vldes for cobblestOne pavement. We do
not believe 1t advisable to make cObble-
stone or fre-brick, for that street, an
issue. The people want cobblestOne
and petitioned for 1t. The features of
permanenoy to be desired In improve
ment is the manner of paying for pave
ments, rather than the character of
the material used. Cherry street
Is q manufacturing and railroad
business thOr0ughfare. 1t is not street
for fancy driving. If the people inter-
ested want c0bblestOne there they should
have 1t, and quickly too. The condition
Of that street has been simply disgrace
full. It Is q glsring eye-sOre for every
traveller who comes III over the Penn
sylVania road. II is costly inconVen-
ienCe for numerous manufacturing es-
tablishments reached by that street.
And now 1t is to be hoped that the
Council will settle down to adopting
some permanent plan for providing for
and laying permanent improvements.
We consider the RepOsitOr's property |
paying plan the best one. Cleveland,
and other cities have used
1t 70 good advantage and done good and
quick work. II II does not suit Mr.. |
Roberts there has been golden OppOrtu- |
nifty for him Ito introduce one that he |
thinks better-n0t merely to talk about |
Q plan, but to put 1t down In cold black |
and white. Let us hope that X he Is
possessed Of the solution Of the Ques- |
ton he will make haste to hurry to get |
down to business.